My Persona
by AcerRoy
Summary: American high school senior Alan Fox finds himself being drawn into a world between consciousness and unconsciousness where he battles monsters. When in this dream world, actions taken seem to have an affect on the real world. Alan and his party must confront people taking advantage of the dream world.


Chapter 1:

The Beggining

* * *

_It felt too real. _

_I was burning alive._

My thoughts were racing as my whole was engulfed in flames. Around me the fires continued to grow without any fuel. The fire was ever present and real, but could not possibly exist. The only thing my eyes could make from the blur of flames was a massive lizard. It solemnly stood, on its fours, about 2 feet away; staring directly into my soul. I cannot describe every single emotion running through my mind in that moment, but the one most present was fear.

I had to have waited for what felt like hours before I finally drew the courage to put my hand through the fire.

It was cool to the touch. A flame with no heat and little physical presence but a flame nonetheless. I reached my hand further through the wall of inferno. I then had my hand as stretched as I could make it, having it be only an inch from the snout of the great beast. In an act of what felt like madness, I returned to stillness. Waiting for the creature to act.

It shuffled its body into my hand. My palm was now resting on its head. _This is impossible, what nightmare have I entered_?

After a few seconds, the thing began to transform into a cloud of light, almost evaporating away. And as the creature grew less opaque the flames grew closer. I felt the need to flinch, but could not pull my body to act. And as the final essence of the creature became a spec of bluish-white light, it, along with the flames, flew into my being.

_I am thou…_

_And thou art I…_

_From the sea of thy soul, I come…_

For a second, all I felt was pain, and then nothing. The thing was gone and the world had become a solidly white planescape in an instant. "WHERE THE HELL AM I!" My voice rang throughout the empty plane.

The empty world was soon disturbed by the coming of a what seemed like a light purple butterfly flying into existence. It slowly transformed into the shape of a man. He was indistinguishable in height from the lack of any reference to the world around me. He wore a suit almost as white as the world itself. He had what looked like a grey shirt underneath, with an equally black tie. His skin was fairly pale, and he had light-black hair held back in a ponytail. But I could not make out his face as he wore a mask, slightly brighter than his skin on his face. After a few seconds of coming into existence, he finally spoke. "Greetings Alan Fox" he said in a very sturdy and mature voice, "I am Philemon."

"How do you know my name?" I responded to the intruder, with a rather standoffish manner.

"It is quite impressive that one is able to maintain their identity within this place. I am a being who dwells between the consciousness and unconsciousness of all souls. I watch over everyone."

"What the hell does that mean? Where am I?"

"You are in a realm between consciousness and unconsciousness. You have been brought here by your own will." He raised his hand to his chin before continuing. "Though you clearly wish to know more I am incapable of providing the answers that you seek." He then stepped aside as a door manifested in the place he once stood. "However the man in this room can provide many answers to the many questions you seek." As the door opened of its own fruition, a sheet of paper flew out of the door and into my hands. "However this place is only accessible to those who have signed this contract, accepting the responsibility of every decision you make."

"To hell with that. Why the hell should I trust you?"

"I cannot provide the answers to your questions."

I crossed my arms in defiance. "Get someone else to sign your damn papers." I tossed the paper and it flew back into the door that it had come from.

Philemon walked back towards his original location as the door quickly retreated from existence. "You will still be able to go to the Maya, however the actuation of fate will be forever unattainable for you until you accept the responsibility." Philemon turned around and walked away, disappearing more with every step until the world was once again desolate.

I began to breathe heavily looking down at my hands. _This can't be real, it has to be just a really lucid dream._

* * *

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

I woke frantically to the sound of my alarm. "What the hell was that?" I said rather distraught as I sat up in my bed. I got a good look at my now drenched sheets. "That was by far the weirdest dream I've ever had." I got out of bed and grabbed the towel sitting on my desk chair as I walked to the bathroom. "The first fucking day of school." I groaned turning on the knob for the shower. "I made that bed two days ago, I don't even know if uncle Jeff even has anymore sheets. He didn't plan to have a guest. I haven't even unpacked all my shit yet. Just my fucking luck." I removed my soaked boxers.

"What ever. Just one year of fucking school and I won't have to deal with any of this bullshit again." I actually kinda smiled. "Too bad I'll probably have to move back in with my grandparents. I don't exactly see uncle Jeff wanting to become a landlord anytime soon."

After a solid cleaning of the body and mind, I got dressed into my weekday casuals and walked downstairs into the kitchen. Jeff was gone already, he left the coffee pot half empty as usual. I dumped the rest into the sink and grabbed a poptart from the pantry.

Before I walked out to the door I noticed a note sitting on the foyer end table. It was attached to what seemed like a cassette and a pair of keys. I picked up the note while putting the keys into my pocket and the cassette tape into my messenger bag. The note read "Hey kid, I know you're not too excited for school, but I hope you make the best of it. The school called last night while you were getting your room in order and told me that they had an open parking spot. Only thing is you have to give them the envelope sitting in the end table and register the truck with the front office. I left you the keys to the Chevy, you can get to school on your own. I also got you this tape. I heard you like Weezer so I got you a cassette tape of their music. Sorry the truck only uses cassette tapes. Good luck." I opened the drawer and took out the envelope containing the payment for the parking spot. "Huh." I dropped it into my bag and shut the drawer. "Well, time to go I guess." I opened the door and made my way past his tow truck and to the Chevy. It was a 90s era Chevrolet S-10 with a single cab. It was an ugly candy apple red that's only relief from the onslaught of horrendous design was the mud covered wheelhouses.

"I'd be fucking surprised if it ran." I opened the door to the scent of cigarettes and quickly hopped up to the driver's seat. I pulled out the cassette tape and tossed my bag into the passenger seat. To my genuine astonishment the car turned on. The radio was tuned to a classic rock station, it sounded like the most incomprehensible rendition of "Highway To Hell" due to all the static. "I guess being out in a nowhere town tends to make that happen." I turned down the volume before putting in the tape. The sound of distorted guitar screeching followed by weird synth sounds immediately drew my attention to the cassette player. "Wait... is this Pinkerton?" Looking back I pull out of the driveway and onto the road towards school. "I thought this was supposed to suck? It's pretty good."

About half way through the drive the dawn finally comes. I then had a strange feeling and pulled over to the side of the almost lifeless back road. The spot laid in between two empty fields stretching for acres each. I grabbed a pack of cigarettes out of my bag and stepped out of the truck. I pulled a lighter out of my pocket and lit a cigarette as the red sun created a mist above the fields of grass. It was quite a sight to behold for sure. A small reminder to the day I lost them. The painful morning almost a year ago to the day.


End file.
